Chapter 25. Heads, Tails
“What?!”
“Kang is being abused in the Seven Sword Hall?!”
So Hyeonri truly had not known.
“There are clear signs of repeated beatings.”
“B, but physical punishment during martial arts training is common...”
“I am telling you because it crossed far beyond ordinary punishment.”
“Unless the instructor is a madman who knows no limits, those injuries are clearly abuse.”
Hyeonri's face became blank.
Her voice shook.
“T, that cannot be.”
“If my child had been beaten that badly, how could he never say a word to me?”
“The instructor apparently told him that you would be disappointed if he showed pain.”
“That damned Seven Sword Hall Leader!”
Hyeonri slammed her fist onto the table.
If she had learned martial arts, the table probably would have split in half.
“Lady Woo must have ordered this.”
“That damned woman!”
“Poisoning my son was not enough, so now she does this?!”
“Madam Hyeon.”
“Please calm down.”
“How can I calm down when my son is being treated like that?!”
“First, we need to check the maids and servants assigned to Young Master Won Kang.”
“What do you... ah!”
She must have been extremely angry.
She had only realized the problem now.
Even if the Seven Sword Hall Leader had silenced Won Kang, the child's body was covered in bruises.
The maids and servants beside him could not possibly have failed to notice.
“There are definitely people among Young Master Won Kang's servants who belong to Lady Woo.”
“We need to remove them first.”
“...Leave that to me.”
“I can identify them before the end of today.”
“Once you do, tell me.”
“I will make them disappear without anyone noticing.”
Hyeonri's fists trembled.
She was probably blaming herself for not realizing her son was being abused.
I never had a mother.
My eldest senior sister cared for me like a child, but she had felt more like an older sister than a mother.
Because maternal love was unfamiliar to me, every emotion Hyeonri showed seemed strangely new.
“Madam Hyeon.”
“I know preparations for the banquet are keeping you busy, but remain beside your son today.”
“...Yes.”
“I will.”
“Get him to admit directly that the Seven Sword Hall Leader abused him.”
“That way, there will be fewer problems for me afterward.”
“What do you mean?”
“Why would there be problems for you?”
“Because I am about to do that thing to the Seven Sword Hall Leader.”
“Pardon?”
“What exactly does that mean?”
There was no need to explain that phrase to a mother already upset over her son.
“Either way, get your stubborn son to speak.”
“For my sake too.”
“Y, yes.”
“Understood.”
Good.
I had prepared insurance against unexpected trouble.
Time to go.
Time to do that thing to that bastard.
“Here is your payment.”
Lady Woo placed a money pouch filled with gold on the table.
Across from her sat a middle-aged man.
Manpyeong, Leader of the Seven Sword Hall.
He greedily smiled while taking the pouch.
“I wonder if I deserve this much merely for tormenting little Won Kang.”
“Nothing pleases me more than watching the low blood of that concubine suffer.”
“Take it without worry.”
“Still, will this truly be all right?”
“I frightened Won Kang badly enough that he should not speak.”
“But if the Clan Head somehow hears...”
Lady Woo laughed coldly at his concern.
“The Clan Head is in no condition to care about such matters.”
“Even if he learns, you will not lose your life.”
“I guarantee it.”
“Is that true?”
“So stop worrying.”
“Focus only on making Won Kang suffer.”
“I will reward you generously.”
“Of course.”
“Making one child suffer is hardly difficult.”
“Good.”
“You may leave.”
“I am busy preparing for the banquet.”
“Yes, Great Madam.”
After leaving Lady Woo's residence, Manpyeong smiled happily.
“Kukuk.”
“A full pouch of gold just for beating one little brat.”
“This is an excellent side business.”
Manpyeong thought about Won Kang and grinned.
Nothing was more enjoyable to him than beating children.
Children were stupid.
Even if he hit them simply because he was irritated or bored, they convinced themselves it was part of training.
Sometimes a child complained to their parents that the punishment was excessive.
But their parents were also people of a martial family.
They treated the children's confession as whining or weakness, then scolded them instead.
He already enjoyed beating children.
Now he was being paid this much money to do it.
Manpyeong smiled even while walking.
Where should I hit him today?
Should I use the bone-separating method?
No, that feels repetitive.
Maybe I should make the other children bully Won Kang.
Turning children against one another was easy.
If things went wrong and it became known that Won Kang had been abused, he could simply blame the other children.
If I handle it well, I may even be able to leave Won Kang permanently disabled using the other children's hands.
Lady Woo would reward me even more.
Pleased by his brilliant idea, Manpyeong soon reached the Seven Sword Hall.
Something was strange.
Unlike normal days, there was no sound of children training.
“What?”
“Did the instructors give them a break?”
Manpyeong opened the door and entered.
Inside, the Seven Sword Hall instructors were standing nervously.
The moment they saw Manpyeong, they rushed toward him.
“Hall Leader!”
“You have arrived!”
“What is going on?”
“Where are the children?”
“T, that is...”
The instructors hesitated.
Manpyeong became angry.
“Why can none of you explain what happened?!”
“Do I need to beat you before you regain your senses?!”
“Stop shouting at innocent instructors.”
“I sent the children home.”
Manpyeong turned toward the unfamiliar voice.
A lean man around thirty stood there.
Who is he?
I have never seen someone like this among the Sword Demon Clan's blood relatives.
“Who are you?”
“How dare you send the children away without permission from me, the Leader of the Seven Sword Hall?!”
